I literally had to stumble over a big pile of garbage to snatch these photos from the top of a newspaper pile at my favorite hidden gem junk shop.
Sometimes you can forget that there are wonderful little pockets of truth in folklore. For example, gypsies really did exist and so did their head scarves. Case in point.
They also made adorable matching mother/daughter dresses. That little girl makes me want to cry she's so cute.
Sometimes they prematurely shaved there heads (on the right) and looked like amazing carnival strong men. Or carnival strong men looked them them.
Anyone still keeping up with Hebrew? All I got is 1925.
My big sis is going to have her own gypsy caravan one day, complete with homemade dresses and painted wagons, so I had to send these to her.
Until that day comes, I'll just have to wear more silk scarves while practicing my dark and mysterious pout.
Sometimes you can forget that there are wonderful little pockets of truth in folklore. For example, gypsies really did exist and so did their head scarves. Case in point.
They also made adorable matching mother/daughter dresses. That little girl makes me want to cry she's so cute.
Sometimes they prematurely shaved there heads (on the right) and looked like amazing carnival strong men. Or carnival strong men looked them them.
Anyone still keeping up with Hebrew? All I got is 1925.
My big sis is going to have her own gypsy caravan one day, complete with homemade dresses and painted wagons, so I had to send these to her.Until that day comes, I'll just have to wear more silk scarves while practicing my dark and mysterious pout.
Those are the greatest pictures. I recently found some old photobooks that I believe belonged to my grandmother. All the old pictures! With carts and horses even. My mom as a baby cowgirl feeding a fawn by a pond with a pony in the background. I can't believe these are even real.
ReplyDeleteI need to scan them.
I've always loved the idea of a gypsy caravan! Someday I want to live like a gyspsy just for the fun of it! The pictures are wonderful. When I was in Dublin in 2004 I was accosted by a group of gyspsies. For Real! They asked if we had any money and one not so very bright girl in my group told them no, we only have credit cards, and the gypsy lady turned to her and said "Oh! We take credit cards!" I love that story so much!
ReplyDeleteYou have to scan them, old family photos are the best!
ReplyDeleteAnd that's hysterical. What a great story, the kind of good story you get to tell your kids over and over until they've heard it a million times and roll their eyes every time you start it.
Those pictures are terrific! Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteSeriously... Your glowering sis, is hiding out in her mountain cave, dreaming of future world wide wanderings, matching dresses, scarves and all. You, Me, Europe, Asia, Northern California. Let's start this summer; take on the world like wondering Gypsy peddlers, unearthing treasures and oddities from all corners of the globe, what do you say?
ReplyDelete1920s found photos are my favorite -- I just love the way the women look in all of them. I think I want to bring that hairstyle back....
ReplyDeleteLove this post !
ReplyDeletei asked my mom to translate and she said it's Yiddish! she is finding someone who can do it...
ReplyDeletehere's what my mom's friend said:
ReplyDelete__
Can't make everything out, but...
"In the time you were in.......our beloved and non-forgotten parents"
The not recognized words may be a name of a place.
Yiddish indeed! Ms. Catbird, thanks so much for having this translated. I'm terrible at reading cursive and could only puzzle out a few words. I'm glad to know that this was a difficult one.
ReplyDeleteThese photos brought tears to my eyes. My family has so few family photos from the 20s (and none from Georgia/Azerbaijan) but the precious few have this vibe exactly. The contrasting headscarves, half smiles and careworn faces and hands of tough Jews on their only day off. Thanks so much for posting these.
I think these photos are from the Balkans something about the way those headscarves are tied. Anyone else have an inkling?
Rony, you are amazing!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeletei really love this post -i've returned to look at it every day. it reminds me a lot of my grandmother and our old family photos. it's chilling to think what happened to them. 1925 - not a great time to be a gypsy or a jew.
ReplyDeletenot to be a downer.
These AREN'T my family photos, but they're fairly identical! I've looked at photos almost exactly like this in my family album since I was little kid. We're Russian Jews from the steppes, which makes sense if they've got a caravan too! Hope that helps you in your quest! xo
ReplyDeleteso neat. my ancestors on my mothers side were nomadic gypsies. I'm also half Irish, so I like to say that I'm an Irish Gypsy.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
sp
this post is fantastic.
ReplyDeletefirst of all, love old photographs & imagining their stories. (it just makes it all the better when they are gypsies!)
these are amazing!! and the hebrew?! im going to get my sisters boyfriend to translate asap!
ReplyDeleteRony of catbird had it translated, it says in yiddish.... "In the time you were in.......our beloved and non-forgotten parents". Make me weep, why don't you!
ReplyDeletei just spent some time working with gypsies in romania.
ReplyDeletehttp://marlagrace.blogspot.com/2010/10/gypsies-touched-my-heart.html